


Those Who Make A Home

by faceplantmay



Series: The Mundane Adventures of Angus McDonald [1]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Familial Love, Found Family, Other, a little au-y, after the war, also i'm a sucker for "aunt lucretia" and "uncle merle", angus can have multiple dads okay?, i uh...really like sleeping apparently., it's my favorite hobby so i just...incorperate it in everything don't i?, shared custody
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-12-27 16:34:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12084948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faceplantmay/pseuds/faceplantmay
Summary: Even when your life takes you in different directions, someone will always be there to welcome you home.





	Those Who Make A Home

**Author's Note:**

> Something light for the palate. Gotta love this family full of idiots, _I love them so much._
> 
> I also firmly believe home is where your hat is, which I learned at 19 was not the actual idiom. Whoops.
> 
>  
> 
> As always, you can find me on tumblr at faceplantmay.tumblr.com or on twitter @faceplantmay.
> 
> Tell your reflection that today is going to be a day of success, whatever your goals may be.
> 
> Kisses!  
> -May

Twelve year old Angus McDonald buckled the leather thong of his knapsack and pat the brown hide with a gleeful finality. It was finally Friday and the weekend promised an exciting change for the first time in a couple of weeks. He slipped on the bag, smoothing out the sheets of his bed before grabbing a small toy from under his pillow and shoving it behind him into an open pouch. With a quick glance around his room, Angus checked to make sure that everything was in place: the sleek black desk was clutter free and the calendar on the wall above it was up to date with this particular day circled in red. The curtains were drawn apart, light filtering through the blinds across the cold marble floor and his shoes were lined neatly next to the open bedroom door. Angus took in a lung full of air and huffed out as he walked over the threshold into the long hallway towards the living room.

"You ready to go, my man?" Taako sat in a vibrant red arm chair, legs crossed at the ankles on a black coffee table. He had mastered the act of appearing nonchalant, but Angus knew there was some excitement underneath the facade. "Do you have everything you need packed up?" 

"Yes, sir!" 

Taako stood up and stretched, examining his nails with a maintained boredom. "Do you have your Stone of Far Speech?" Angus pat his pants pocket and nodded. "Alright, so, do you have your bear?" Angus blushed but nodded again. 

"Yes, sir!" 

The elven man threw his arm around Angus' shoulder and shook him gently. "It's going to be a bit of a ride, so we're gonna get a quick bite before we head on out." Taako led Angus, his arm still around him, right out of the door, turning only briefly to lock it. "Let's swing by a fantasy McD's and grab a fast breakfast." 

Taako unwrapped himself from the child and continued in front down the tiled entrance walk way to the small slab of concrete where the car Cassidy helped pull together was. It was sleek white and had enough room to fit a load of people, but Taako only got it for the show of it all. _Just_ the show of it. Angus opened the back passenger door and threw his bag into the backseat, closing it as he opened the passenger door and climbed on in. Taako slapped the trunk as he walked around the back of the vehicle and opened the door with his usual flourish. He wiped the driver's seat with a few dramatic brushes of his hand and slid into the car, closing the door with control so as not to slam it. Angus reached into the glove compartment and pulled out two pairs of black sunglasses, handing the one with a thick rim to the elf. They slipped them on in unison, Taako inserting the key into the ignition and cranking up the radio as the car backed out of the driveway, Angus waving good bye to their house. "Let's fuckin' go!"

 

Magnus Burnsides rocked leisurely in a wooden chair, whittling a small block of wood with an absent minded hand. He could hear the sound of laughter coming from around the back of the house and he smiled, watching how his hands slid the knife along the block, working carefully around a knot. It was finally Friday. _Finally._ The sound of deep laughter came around the corner, a hearty sound full of mirth and Magnus looked up from his woodwork as Merle came into his sight. 

"I take it Mookie is up in the tree house?" Magnus set the block in his lap, planting his feet firmly to stop from moving. Merle climbed the steps of the porch and settled in the rocking chair next to his friend. "Yeah, he's been throwing stuff down from the window to see how much it will bounce."

"God, I miss being a kid."

Merle laughed again, reaching between them into a cooler for a beer, "It's not like you don't already toss things around, Magnus." Magnus cocked an eyebrow but didn't press the situation; it was still morning, but after everything they've done a little day drinking didn't hurt. The bottle top popped off and the dwarf took a few solid chugs before sighing contentedly and settling into the seat comfortably. 

"Do you think he'll come down any time soon?"

"Naw. Mavie is sitting underneath the tree and while she's down there, he'll stay up there. It's a really nice tree house, Mags." Merle fiddled with the wrapper and smiled at his hands. "I really appreciate you making it. The kids love it."

Magnus reached over, patting his friend on the leg. "Don't worry about it, bud. It's not a problem."

The sound of gravel under tires turned both of their attention towards the white blur that came to a skidding stop only a couple of yards from the house. Magnus stood, setting the incomplete project on the lid of the cooler, a million gigawatts lighting up his face. Merle tried to resist the smile climbing on to his lips, but let it settle in on his skin. Angus threw open the car door before Taako even turned off the engine and ran up the walk way, taking the porch steps in long, bouncing strides. He threw his arms around Magnus, who picked him up and swung him a little, both of them laughing out Hellos as if they had been apart for years. 

Taako turned off the car and reached back for the boy's bag, opening the door with a poised dignity, working hard to conceal his own excitement. "'Mornin' Magnus. Merle. How's the kiddos?" He closed the door, following the kicked up dirt that Angus had trailed up the walk. 

"Kiddos are good. They're around back hanging out near the old Oak." Merle nodded his head towards the back of the house, directing his eye contact to the child in front of him. "Mavis has that book you let her borrow, she's almost done with it." 

"I can't wait to hear what she thinks. That was Caleb's hardest mystery yet!" Angus freed himself from Magnus and gave Merle a soft shoulder pat as he crossed the length of the porch to the front door. "I'll go set my stuff down and they I'll run around back." Merle smiled as the child turned away and shared a loving look with the two men in front of him. Taako rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly while Magnus barely seemed to contain the excitement that was beginning to bubble under his face. "That boy is growin' up like a string bean." 

 

Gravel shifted heavily again as a small black car kicked up dust under its wheels. The three men were already a couple of beers in each, joking loudly as peals of laughter came from the backyard, and they raised their drinks in welcome as the driver's side door opened. Lucretia pushed thin wired, amber tinted sunglasses up onto the top of her head and raised her own hand in response as she came up towards the steps. "Good morning, Merle, Magnus!" Lucretia and Taako shared a glance and she wish him a good morning, softly, which he responded to with an equally awkward greeting. 

She found her place on a small wicker stool, Merle passing her a cold drink. "It's a bit early in the morning, don't you think?" she asked, but with almost no resistance, popped off the lid. "It's never too early to have a good chat with buds, Luc," Merle said, raising his drink again as a cheers. 

"Is it your turn with Angus?" Lucretia asked Magnus as she took a sip and grimaced slightly, causing Merle to laugh. "Yeah! He wasn't supposed to be here for another few days, but Kravitz barely managed to get this weekend off, ya know, with all of the paperwork, so he came a bit early." Taako cut in with a wave of his beer'd hand, "And my sister has a couple of days after that, so we wanted to have some 'us' time. Ango would have cramped our jive." Magnus nodded his head towards the elf, both in agreeance and in jest. "Besides, I think he was getting cooped up at my place. We don't exactly live close to any kids. He's a big nerd, so he studies a lot and I find books _constantly_ around the house, but until Lucas' school is complete, Ango doesn't have anything to do." Taako ran his hands around the bottle and shrugged. "He probably needs to let some of that preteen boy air out."

"And that's what _I'm_ for!" Magnus chimed in.

Lucretia chuckled and took another drink, turning to Merle. "How are Mookie and Mavis, by the way?" She gestured towards the back of the house where shrieks carried in the air, loud and joyful. The dwarf grinned. 

"They've been great. Just great. We're going East in a couple of weeks and gonna just, journey on out there. Spread the word of Pan. Talk about adventure. The whole kit and kaboodle. I figured stopping by while Angus and Taako were here would be really exciting for them before we leave." He waved his hands around at the group, smiling proudly. "It's also just been too long since we've all sat down and chatted. How about you, Lucretia? Have you heard from Davenport recently?"

"Not since we last saw him, no. Merle, he said he'd contact us as soon as his 'self exploration' was over. Let's let him have his space."

"We've had _plenty_ of space, ya know?" Magnus ribbed Taako who let out an uncomfortable chuckle. They all shuffled awkwardly as Lucretia avoided Taako's eyes. "You'll be the first to know when he comes back, Merle." 

The dwarf pat her leg as a comforting gesture just as the shrieks grew louder, heavy footfalls proceeding the red faced children that came around the corner. "Aunt Lucretia!" The woman stood just in time for a sweaty and sticky Mookie to throw himself at her legs, rubbing his face along the seam of her pants. She ruffled his hair as Mavis and Angus, in a maturity contest, greeted her with the utmost sincerity, causing the adults to break from the tension with unraptured laughter. "Madame Director." "Aunt Lucretia." "Aunt Director Lucretia." "Miss Aunt Director Lucretia!" "The Journal Keeper Miss Aunt Madame Director Lucretia!" 

Their argument was playful as her title became more convoluted, betraying their mature composure as the grown ups doubled over. Magnus wrapped an arm around Taako's shoulders as they shook, tears forming in the giant man's eyes. Merle guffawed, slapping his legs in amusement, Lucretia laughing hard into the hand that wasn't resting on the smallest child's head. Eventually, even the children joined in, Angus and Mavis mocking each other with joy.

As the sun reached its apex, the crowd on the porch wiped red faces with the backs of their hands or the neckline of their shirts. Laughter was abundant and the children sat cross legged on the floor, sipping lemonade Taako whipped up while the adults got tipsy on beer that got warm. Taako had called his brother-in-law, Barry, who put the group on speaker phone so that Kravitz and Lup and himself could chat during downtime with the loud group of people who kept talking over each other to ask how work was going, when they would be getting together for dinner, when they would take the children on adventures, to tell them that they were loved and missed. 

After a few hours, the crowd dispersed, with kisses on cheeks and gentle goodbyes, reluctant and awkward hugs that continued in a cycle, rinse, repeat. It was over forty-five minutes before anyone actually made an attempt to leave, someone always pulling them back with conversation, questions, affection. But in the path of the sun, before the farewells could cloud the day, before weeks or months would pass without seeing everyone together again, before the kids went off to school and time ticked on for the adults, there was nothing but absolute love. The horrors of just months prior always sat in the back of their minds, never to be forgotten, but time's arrow moves forward, and for those who survived, for those on this porch, life must go on and be lived. 

That night, when the porch was empty, and all of the debris of living had been cleaned up, Angus crawled into bed, his skin still smelling of the outside, tanned arms darker than his shoulders from the hours long sun exposure, brown cheeks red with a light burn. The ghost of kisses freckled his face and he curled into the covers of his full sized mattress, heart still racing from the excitement of the day, his bear choking in his tight grasp. With Magnus just a door away, sawing wood with his snores, Angus drifted off to sleep knowing that at every moment, he was loved and that at any given time, in any given place, he was home.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys,
> 
> I'm still dropping the link to my KoFi [here](http://ko-fi.com/faceplantmay). I know times are tough and things just keep happening, but I haven't heard back from my grandmother after her fall in the rubble of her house and my uncle is still unable to get to his house. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated, even just a couple of dollars.
> 
> With all of the love,  
> May


End file.
